-Here We Build- Sac. Kings Association: 25-21

[Vespasian92]

-Here we Build-

"We are able to report to you that the NBA Board of Governors voted to reject the relocation of the Sacramento Kings to Seattle..."

With those words, a fanbase was shaken. Stirred actually. Stirred with the same passion that they had felt for 8 straight years of playoff-caliber basketball. With the NBA rejecting the fear that had hung heavy on the hearts of Kings' fans for multiple losing seasons, they had a reason to cheer again. They finally had some genuine hope of seeing their team become competitve again. The Arco Thunder that had previously risen from every Peja triple and C-Webb slam could return. The deafening ring of cowbells from clutch back-to-back game winners from Mike Bibby or every punch Christie threw at Rick Fox is coming. A new beginning is here, and Sacramento is ready.



Sacramento Kings Starters
- Isaiah Thomas - Marcus Thornton - Jimmy Butler - Bismack Biyombo - Demarcus Cousins -


Sacramento Kings Reserves

- Ben McLemore - Ryan Anderson - Pierre Jackson - Jeffrey Taylor - Festuz Ezeli - Will Barton - Darius Miller



Sacramento Kings Inactives
- Cole Aldrich - Joel Freeland - Armon Johnson -



Depth Chart
PG Thomas/Jackson/Johnson
SG Thornton/McLemore/Barton
SF Butler/Taylor/Miller
PF Biyombo/Anderson/Freeland
C Cousins/Ezeli/Aldrich

Timeline:
Kings acquire Butler in 3-team deal
Kings trade Thompson for Biyombo
Kings part with Tyreke Evans
Kings select McLemore, Jackson in draft

Platform: PC
Roster: Edited URB 6.6
Season Length: 82 Games
Playoff Format: 7-7-7-7
Team Chemistry: On
Player Roles: On
Progressive Fatigue: On
Trade Deadline: On
Allow CPU Trades: On
Trade Override: Off
Preseason Games: Off
Quarter Length: 12 minutes
Sim Quarter Length: 12 Minutes
Sliders: Custom
Difficulty: All-Star
Injuries: On
Fatigue: On

[Vespasian92]

In the wake of the BOG vote in Wednesday, The Sacramento Bee is now reporting the final piece of news that Sacramento fans wanted to hear.

"The Maloof era in Sacramento, at times spirited and uplifting, at times dismal and depressing, appears to have come to an end. A Sacramento investors group has reached a deal with the Maloof family to buy the Kings for an NBA record valuation of $535 million, a source has told The Sacramento Bee. The agreement, reached Thursday, is expected to be announced sometime today, the source said. If the NBA approves the deal, escrow is expected to close at the end of May. The source, a stakeholder close to the deal, said the Maloof family was eager to "turn the page" and was pleased it was able to sell to a group that will keep the team in Sacramento."


This Sacramento group includes software giants Vivek Ranadive (TIBCO) and the Jacobs family (Qualcomm), as well as Mark Mastrov (24 Hour Fitness) and Chris Kelly (Facebook). Vivek and co. expected to begin a GM and coaching search after the sale is approved. Sacramento Mayor and former NBA All-Star point guard Kevin Johnson played a large role in helping the ownership group through the process as well as assisting in the city's support of a downtown arena plan. Looking forward to the upcoming season, all parties involved are pleased and excited for the future.

Tyreke Evans ‏@TyrekeEvans 15 May
I'm happy this Kings are staying in Sac!! This is where we belong! #HereWeStay #PRINTDAT #nbacity

Vivek Ranadivé ‏@Vivek 29 Apr
I'm speechless. Thanks to all of the amazing people who supported this great effort. We still have work to do but - #HereWeStay

Kevin Johnson ‏@KJ_MayorJohnson 29 Apr
I've never been prouder of this city. I thank the ownership group, city leaders, but most of all the BEST FANS IN THE NBA!!

[Vespasian92]

Kings hire Miller as GM, Tiner as coach.
The Sacramento Kings have announced that they have hired former Golden State assistant GM Stephen Miller as President of Basketball Operations. They have also hired Randall Tiner as their new head coach. The details of the contracts are not known. Both Miller and Tiner were with the Warriors organization last season.

"We inherited a situation with a lot of talent already on the roster, we just need to figure out how to make it fit. I feel Stephen will do a great job analyzing players and adding pieces to get a lot of chemistry and cohesion for our team. Randall has an excellent understanding of floor spacing and offensive execution, and I have seen his knowledge firsthand. I am familiar with the expertise and professionalism of both of these men, and I believe we can produce a playoff-caliber product to put on the floor in the near future."

New majority owner Vivek Ranadive was introducing his new GM and coach with a combined press conference. To his right was a fresh-faced, yet confident-looking man scratching his trimmed beard. Stephen Miller had worked as an assistant in the Warriors' front office where Vivek previously had been a part-owner. The young GM sat calmly as the questions continued to come from the media.

Can you tell us anything about who you want to build around, and do you think Demarcus can be that player?
"We just don't find big men with the skills and hands that Demarcus has this early in his career very often. I'd obviously like to work with Demarcus and add pieces complimentary to his talent if possible. Yet we have 3 or 4 excellent young players who I feel have a lot of potential, so it's not like we're handcuffed by only having one choice."

What method do you plan to use to build the team, be it through the draft or free agency? "I'm firmly of the belief that you can build a young core with great chemistry through the draft. Building with the talent you picked and cultivated yourself is rewarding. This team already has a few great pieces to begin that process."

Do you plan to be a larger player in free agency than this franchise has been recently?
"To some extent, yes. But we aren't going to spend foolishly, and I'd like to see if we can keep some cap flexibility for when we need it."

As the new GM was finished answering the media questions, the attention turned towards the Kings' other recent hire. Randall Tiner, also previously with the Golden State organization, already had a good relationship with Vivek.
Tiner's shook Vivek's hand and then smiled towards the waiting media members. The Chicago native ran his fingers through his curly black hair as he settled into his seat.

Is there anything you liked about this team's style of play last season that you want to retain, or is it a complete overhaul with your own gameplan? "Something this team already knows how to do well is get up and down the court. I don't want to sacrifice any cohesiveness in our half-court defense, yet I still want to run when we can. I would like to incorperate some of what we ran in Golden State, with the transition play and open 3s. This style of play with increased tempo is becoming more and more popular and effective in today's NBA with teams like the Rockets and Warriors starting to have some success with it. I want to be able to hang our hat on being explosive offensively while being more competent on the other end than this team has been in recent years."

Being a young coach entrusted with a young team, how do you plan on earning the respect and attention of the players? "With a younger team, there are going to be times when you have to be firm and direct in getting your point across. If we want our team to improve, we need the star players to improve as well, both as players and professionals. If you can be honest enough with the leaders of the team and earn their respect, the rest of the team usually follows suit."

When the media had finished their questions, the Kings' new leaders rose and filed out. With the important staffing decisions now complete, it was time to return to the buisness of basketball.

[Vespasian92]

Stephen reclined in his highbacked chair and gazed out the window. The view from his new office was excellent, if there was much to look at. He couldn't deny the fact that Sacramento didn't have all the luxuries and attractions that the larger markets did. The downtown of his new home city seemed extremely small and unappealing when compared to what he had seen growing up. He shook his head and wondered why he had really ended up here. His mind was wanding through the streets of his So-Cal suburb hometown of Pasadena as his framed buisness degree from USC caught his eye. His family had been well-off, and helped him pursue his college education. He recalled cheering for the Laker purple and gold as a kid, watching a young Kobe come in and become a ring-claiming superstar for the hometown fans. How ironic that he was now working for their hated rivals. When he grew older, he had to start considering his career options. In college, he discovered he had buisness sense that he felt he could turn into a career. Yet your dreams and passions stick with you, despite reality often trying to shut them down.

He remembered getting his first chance to combine both his career and his passion for basketball when he was offered a job with the Warriors. It was nothing more than just a marketing assistant position, yet he jumped at the chance. Getting to be around basketball and get paid for it, he had loved it. His work ethic was noticed by many, and so he found himself in the Warriors' front office after 8 years of effort. It was there that he introduced himself to the Warriors-turned-Kings owner Vivek. Vivek knew of his accomplisments and desire to be in this buisness, and apparently had not forgotten him after the software entrepeneur was sucessful in his bid to become the majority man in Sacramento. He was distracted from his thoughts when the clouds of a spring thunderstorm shaded the sunlight that had been illuminating the documents on his desk.

Stephen sighed and returned his attention to the pressing matters at hand: contemplating possible early roster moves. The problems with the current roster were obvious. There were some duplicates of players with the same style and tendencies, while other glaring absences of needed roles and skills. If he could pull off some of the ideas he was considering, it might help the team in the long run. He didn't want to make any major moves so early, but sometimes roster changes need to be made before the season begins. His contemplation lasted for the rest of the afternoon, mulling the stats and analyzing what he would need to give up. Eventually he rose to leave and glanced outside once more. The lights on the Tower Bridge greeted his eyes and he closed the door behind him.

Maybe Sacramento wasn't so bad, with its fertile valleys and river views. Plus, the talent of 6 lottery picks on the roster, 7+ million in cap room, and a loose hand from his trusting employer. No, Sacramento was actually pretty good.

[Vespasian92]

"Thanks for coming."
"Of course Vivek."
The Indian native gestured to a vacant chair in Stephen's office. "We were just discussing the roster and how we can address some of our needs."
Coach Tiner showed an ivory-toothed smile as he eased himself into the chair that Vivek had identified. He turned his attention to the third figure in the office. "How are you adjusting here Stephen?"
"Can't complain. Been busy informing myself about our guys..." Stephen looked as if he would say more, but his voice trailed off abruptly.
"Yes, I apologize that you couldn't observe the players more in practice yesterday."
"No worries, there'll be enough time for that later. I got enough of what I wanted to see anyway. I wanted to talk to you guys regarding a roster proposal that they are willing to entertain."
"They being who exactly?" Randall looked interested, yet wary.
"Portland."
Randall looked at the floor with a pensive expression. The Blazers could be considered a thin team, with a bench lacking in consistent contributers. To get one of their high-quality starters however, one would need to offer something signficant in return. "Portland? I'm losing someone important, right?" The oft-pessimistic coach shifted forward in his chair.
"Well, it's not what you think. We're working on a three-team swap actually."
"Oh? Who's the third?"
Stephen noted the interest that quickly came into the coach's face when he disclosed the third. "Your hometown team."

[Vespasian92]

Three teams agree to a six player deal.
The Kings, Trailblazers, and Bulls have agreed to a tree-team deal just 2 weeks before the beginning of the NBA season. Six players were involved in the transaction. The Trailblazers receive veteran bigman Chuck Hayes from Sacramento in exchance for rookie Will Barton and 2006 draftee Joel Freeland. The Bulls exchange promising sophomore swingman Jimmy Butler to Sacramento for sharpshooting guard Jimmer Fredette. The Bulls are also relieved of the $1.5 mil. contract of Vladimir Radmanovic, who is expected to be released by Portland. Chicago exchanges their 1st round selection for Sacramento's probably lottery 1st round selection.
The Kings waived Travis Outlaw to free a roster spot for this transaction.

Sacramento Kings trade:
Jimmer Fredette (68) (CHI) - Chuck Hayes (70) (POR) - 1st round draft selection (CHI)


Portland Trailblazers trade:
Will Barton (61) (SAC) - Joel Freeland (64) (SAC)


Chicago Bulls trade:
Jimmy Butler (71) (SAC) - Vladimir Radmanovic (62) (POR) - 1st round draft selection (SAC) - 2nd round draft selection (SAC)


The Kings recieve a young swingman who they hope can be their permanent answer at small forward, and two other young prospects to help their rebuilding efforts. Portland recieves a veteran bigman who can bolster their frontcourt behind Lamarcus Aldridge and help them get over hump into the postseason. The Bulls move themselves into better position in the upcoming draft with Sacramento's number 1 selection. With Fredette, they recieve a perimiter sharpshooter who can catch and shoot off of Derrick Rose's penetration or double teams on Boozer and Noah inside.

[Vespasian92]

For the latest Kings
news, blogs, interviews,
and highlights.

Taking Stock of the Kings Roster
With opening night coming up on Wednesday, let's take a look at the roster of a developing Kings team. If they are hoping to have a strong
beginning to the 2012-2013 campaign, they will likely rely on a combination of experiences veterans and talented prospects.

Isaiah Thomas: Thomas came from being Mr. Irrelevant last season to step into the starting PG role as a confident and passionate leader. The Kings will likely rely on Isaiah's blazing speed to penetrate defenses and help intitate offense. The respect he has earned from volatile bigman Demarcus Cousins may help the former #5 pick develop on and off the court.

Tyreke Evans: On the surface, Tyreke's statistical number seem to have dropped considerably since his 20-5-5 rookie season, yet numbers can be deceiving. Tyreke has learned how to play off the ball significantly better, and has improved his jumpshot. His perimeter defense is arguably the best on the team, although that doesn't necessarily mean a lot considering the Kings were near the bottom of the league in almost every defensive category last season. Developing a pull-up midrange shot and a spot-up 3pt shot will take his game to the next level, as well as his upcoming contract.

Jimmy Butler: Recently acquired by Sacramento, Butler has the making to be a quality starter for many years in the NBA. He is already a plus defender, and Sacramento faithful are hopeful that he and Tyreke can help improve the horrid defense of the Kings. Butler has a decent and ever-improving perimeter game, and is a competent athlete driving the lane off the bounce. Time will tell how effective he will be for the Kings.

Patrick Patteron: Patterson is a versatile stretch 4 who can face up and is excellent in the pick-and-pop game. He can space the floor for Cousins inside or to open driving lanes for Tyreke and Isaiah, and is an excellent teammate. Patrick never needs to demand the ball or care too much about his personal stats, and his 'Big Bro' relationship with Boogie Cousins from their days at Kentucky gives the Kings' staff and Isaiah Thomas some help in controlling Demarcus.

Demarcus Cousins: One night he gives to 24 and 14, another night he gets himself ejected due to foolish play and a lack of self-control. The potential to be the most talented bigman in the NBA is there, yet he has held himself back due to his volatility on the court. The Dr. Jeckel/Mr. Hyde persoanlity of Cousins has been well-documented, and is a source of stress for Kings fans as well as their front office. The Kings are doing whatever they can to help Cousins discover his potential here in Sactown, and avoid a Zach Randolph occurance of reaching his potential multiple years and teams later.

Reserves: With the departure of Jimmer Fredette, the Kings' front office showed their confidence in Marcus Thornton as their 6th man to provide scoring off the bench. Thornton is quite capable of lighting it up and dropping 30+ in any given night. Toney Douglas and James Johnson are expected to provide solid perimeter defense in the Kings' attempt to shore up their many weaknesses on that side of the ball. Recently demoted to the bench after the arrival of Jimmy Butler, John Salmons can play a versatile role as point-forward, cutter, or spot-up 3pt shooter. Jason Thompson is never going to blow you away with his numbers, yet he isn't going to hurt your team either. The ever-reliable Thompson does his blue-collar work on the boards, and at least can give average effort on defense inside. His mid-range jumper is a plus, and every team needs one or two glue guys like JT. Freeland, Barton, and Aldrich are probably going to see their minutes fluctuate without any defined roles, and so any judgement on their contributions need to be reserved for now.

Newly acquired Kings Jimmy Butler (#24),
Will Barton (#3), and Joel Freeland look
to prove their worth to their new team.

[Mark.]

Interesting trade. Probably worth it IMO, if you are using real draftees then whatever pick you had this year probably wouldn't be much better than Butler.

Makes your team a lot better defensively too. Should work in well Evans.

[Vespasian92]

Interesting trade. Probably worth it IMO, if you are using real draftees then whatever pick you had this year probably wouldn't be much better than Butler.

Makes your team a lot better defensively too. Should work in well Evans.

Yes, I am using an accurate class for the first year. If you don't get in the top two or three (Noel, McLemore, Porter), there isn't anyone I was really hoping to get in the 4-15 range. I really struggle using Jimmer in general, and I always needed to have Tyreke and/or Salmons on the floor to compensate for Jimmer's poor handling, and it really got to be a nuisance for me.

Anyway, I'm finally glad to be done with all the intro stuff and can get to playing the game.

[Mark.]

Fair enough, I would probably be the same with Jimmer (doesn't really appeal to me as a player, odd seeing I am a big Redick fan)

I like the piece you wrote on Cousins, especially the Randolph reference

[Vespasian92]

Kings drop season opener in Chicago


In a sold-out United Center, the Bulls welcomed the Kings for the first game of the season for both clubs. Jimmy Butler and Jimmer Fredette both face their former teams after the trade conducted at the end of the offseason. Butler got the start at small forward for Sacramento, and it seems it is newly acquired swingman's job to lose. He had his share of shooting troubles, including a 1-4 performance from downtown, yet ended with respectable numbers with 9 pts, 6 reb, 3 stl, and a block. The Kings would be thrilled to get the same kind of defensive performance from him on a consistent basis. Fredette was limited to just 6 mintues of action, and scored 4 points in that span.

The story of the game was the domination that the frontline of the Bulls achieved. Carlos Boozer and Joakim Noah combined for 36 points and 29 rebounds, including 7 offensive boards from Noah. Demarcus Cousins looked overmatched inside, despite claiming passable numbers of 16 and 9. The majority of his 16 points came from face-up jumpers however, as he struggled in the paint against Noah's defense. Efficient scoring from Patrick Patterson and Marcus Thornton kept the game closer than it should have been otherwise. Yet advantages of +14 on the boards and +12 in the paint such as Chicago had will almost always result in a W. The Bulls held on in the end and came away with a 109-107 victory.

"Well, that's their game. They are a physical team that is quite capable of dominating the interior, and we had no answer for them. I thought about playing (Jason) Thompson more to get some help on the glass, yet I didn't want to sub Patrick (Patterson) with the way he was scoring. It was a catch-22" - Kings Coach Randall Tiner

Chicago Bulls Top Performers
Richard Hamilton: 22 PTS - 5 REB - 2/3 3PT FG
Carlos Boozer: 20 PTS - 11 REB
Joakim Noah: 16 PTS - 18 REB - 7 OFF REB

Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Patrick Patterson: 17 PTS - 3 REB - 8/11 FG
Marcus Thornton: 17 PTS - 3/5 3PT FG
Tyreke Evans: 17 PTS - 5 REB - 9 AST

Up next:
CHI (1-0) @ CLE (1-0)
SAC (0-1) @ MIN (0-0)

NBA Transactions:
Grizzlies sign C Greg Oden to 1yr/$2.4M deal.

NBA Injury Updates:
Kings F Joel Freeland out 2-4 weeks with Achillies Strain.

[Mark.]

Rough start to the season. Like Tyreke's numbers though! Can we expect a career revival this season?

[Vespasian92]

Kings win a high-scoring affair in Minnesota
Defenses failed to show up in Minnesota as the Kings and Wolves put up a combined 259 points. Love had 28 for the Timberwolves, yet the Kings came away with the 131-128 victory thanks to 32 assists and balanced scoring. Sacramento dropped an early season-high 16 threes off of their unselfish play. Kings continue their roadtrip in Indiana tomorrow, and the Timberwolves head to Toronto for their next matchup.

Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Isaiah Thomas: 26 PTS - 6 AST - 4/6 3PT FG
Tyreke Evans: 25 PTS - 7 REB - 10 AST
Demarcus Cousins: 18 PTS - 10 REB - 3 STL

Minnesota Timberwolves Top Performers
Kevin Love: 28 PTS - 13 REB
Ricky Rubio: 21 PTS - 12 AST

Kings fall despite Demarcus' strong night
In a game that saw the Kings have a 10 point lead at one point in the first half, the Pacers showed why they are an Eastern Conference contender. The second half completely went Indiana's way, as they outscored Sacramento by 17 in the third quarter alone. The Pacers then cruised to victory after their furious 3rd quarter run. The Kings can take a few positives from a bad loss like this though, including a 27-11 performance from Demarcus Cousins and the contriubutions made by the reserves in 4th quarter garbage time. The bench turned a 22 point deficit to only a 12 point difference by the end with a final of 104-92.

Indiana Pacers Top Performers
Roy Hibbert: 23 PTS - 10 REB
Danny Granger: 15 PTS - 7 REB

Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Demarcus Cousins: 27 PTS - 11 REB
Isaiah Thomas: 22 PTS - 7 AST

Kings glad to be home, yet still fail
The extreme optimism and excitement from a rejuvinated Sacramento crowd was dampened by a opening quarter that saw the Warriors go up by 9 points. The fans helped the Kings rally in the middle two quarters, led by backcourt scoring from Tyreke and Isaiah. Yet fatigue seemed to be a factor for the Kings after returning from a road trip with a short turnaround. In the fourth they shot below 40%, and both Thomas (2/9 for the game from 3PT) and Thornton (1/4 from 3PT) failed to deliver on their open perimeter shots. The Warriors routed the hometown team in the final period and left the Kings fans disappointed with a 107-92 final. The Kings finally get some rest back at home and will welcome the Pistons for their next game.

Golden State Warriors Top Performers
Andrew Bogut: 22 PTS - 12 REB - 3 BLK
Stephen Curry: 24 PTS - 5 AST - 6 TO

Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Isaiah Thomas: 19 PTS - 4 REB - 5 AST
Tyreke Evans: 18 PTS

NBA Transactions:
Thunder extend G Kevin Martin with 3yr/$19.89M deal.

NBA Injury Updates:
Thunder G/F Ronnie Brewer out 4-6 weeks with Torn Hamstring.
Spurs G Manu Ginobli out 4-6 weeks with Strained Oblique.

[Vespasian92]

Defense, 3PT shooting give Kings strong win

Kings F Jimmy Butler (#24) rejects the drive of Pistons G Rodney Stuckey

After a disappointing loss to the Warriors in their home opener, the Kings looked to put on a better show Wednesday against the Pistons. Coach Tiner had been very critical of his team's poor defensive play recently. He was hoping for a statement game on that end of the floor, and his young charges delivered. The Kings were energetic and focused defensively and held Detroit to 18 points in the first quarter. After exerting significant energy playing strong defense on Rodney Stuckey, Coach Tiner subbed a winded Tyreke Evans out for Marcus Thornton. Thornton was aggressive from the moment he entered the game, and looked to make an impact offensively. The Bayou Bomber had 9 points in his first 6 minutes of action, with all of his points coming from three. The Kings defense held strong throughout the game and let them maintain their early lead. A clutch buzzer-beater at the end of the first half by Toney Douglas kept the momentum in Sacramento's direction heading into the lockeroom.

The status quo continued in the second half, and the Kings refused to allow a letdown. Cousins took over in the 4th quarter to put the game away, scoring 14 of his 24 points in the final frame. Despite stepping off of the gas pedal in the 4th defensively, the Kings allowed their lowest opponent point total in the young season, holding Detorit to 88 for the game. The Kings got good production from Cousins and quality two-way play from key reserves Marcus Thornton (+/- = 10) and John Salmons (+/- = 17) to achieve their 95 points.

"Holding to 88 doesn't really seem that impressive, yet I felt this was an important game defensively for our team. Our guys now have confidence in themselves and in our defensive schemes, and proves that we can at least become an average defensive team. I was very pleased with how Jimmy and Tyreke shut down the perimeter, and made it easier for us to box out and rebound." Kings Coach Randall Tiner

Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Demarcus Cousins: 24 PTS - 10 REB
Isaiah Thomas: 21 PTS - 5 AST - 43 MIN
Tyreke Evans: 13 PTS - 5 REB - 7/8 FT

Detroit Pistons Top Performers
Rodney Stuckey: 27 PTS - 5 REB
Brandon Knight: 19 PTS - 4 AST
Corey Maggette: 15 PTS - 7 REB - 43 MIN

Up Next:
SAC (2-3) @ SA (1-4)
DET (3-2) @ OKC (4-0)

NBA Transactions:
Spurs sign G/F Stephen Jackson to 1yr/$1.34M deal.
Sixers extend C Andrew Bynum with 5yr/$65.91M deal.

NBA Injury Updates:
Lakers G Steve Blake out 4-6 weeks with Torn Foot Ligament.

[Mark.]

Nice recaps mate. So the little ones are simmed games and larger ones played games?
Liking how Tyreke is playing for you

[Vespasian92]

Nice recaps mate. So the little ones are simmed games and larger ones played games?
Liking how Tyreke is playing for you

Normally I wouldn't do a big one for that kind of game against Detroit, it was more of me testing the fancier recap layout. The smaller recaps are for simmed games or 'non-important' games, while I plan to make the little graphics and take screens for key games or if something important happens (suppose Thornton goes off for 30+, DMC dominates inside, LBJ drops a triple-double on me, etc). I've played most of the games so far, but I'll probably end up simming a few after my schedule picks back up again next week.

[Vespasian92]

No Manu, No problem
The Kings continued their homestand as the short-handed San Antonio Spurs came to Sacramento. Playing without Manu Ginobli (Strained Oblique) and giving Kahwi Leonard rest (Knee Tendinitis), the Spurs had a disappointing 1-4 record coming into the Sacramento matchup. Yet the veteran leadership of Tim Duncan and Tony Parker didn't let their team give this easy game away. They each contributed 18 points a piece, and Danny Green added 20 of his own to help the Spurs cruise on the road. Sacramento's poor FT shooting (69%) and lack of star rebounders (Cousins being the only King with more than 5 boards) hurt their chances of countering the Spurs tonight.
Spurs (2-4): 112
Kings (2-4): 103

San Antonio Spurs Top Performers
Danny Green: 20 PTS - 2 STL
Tim Duncan: 18 PTS - 5 REB - 8/10 FG
Tony Parker: 18 PTS - 11 AST
Dejuan Blair: 11 PTS - 10 REB

Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Demarcus Cousins: 22 PTS - 8 REB
Tyreke Evans: 21 PTS - 3 REB - 4 AST - 2 STL
Marcus Thornton: 18 PTS - 4/7 3PT FG
Isaiah Thomas: 16 PTS - 4 AST - 3 STL

Lakers rout Kings in L.A.
It was a one-game roadtrip that the Kings would like to forget. This contest was over by halftime, as a basement-dwelling Sacramento defense had no answer for future hall-of-famers Bryant, Nash, and Howard. The Kings allowed the Lakers to shoot a blistering 57% for the game and drop 136. The wind was taken out of the sails of a normally competent Kings offense, who only managed 101 points.
Lakers (2-5): 136
Kings (2-5): 101

Los Angeles Lakers Top Performers
Kobe Bryant: 31 PTS - 5 AST
Steve Nash: 26 PTS - 11 AST
Antawn Jamison: 14 PTS - 9 REB
Metta World Peace: 13 PTS - 8 REB - 7 AST

Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Marcus Thornton: 20 PTS
Demarcus Cousins: 19 PTS - 8 REB - 3 AST
Tyreke Evans: 18 PTS - 5 REB - 4 AST
Isaiah Thomas: 13 PTS - 6 AST

Kings dodge collapse, beat Blazers
Kings G/F John Salmons (#5) challenges the attempted game-winner of Blazers G Damian Lillard

In the midst of a stretch where 10 out of 12 games are in Sacramento, the Kings returned from a disheartening one-game trip to L.A. when they lost to the Lakers in embarassing fashion. The Kings welcomed the Trailblazers, who brought their 3-4 record on the road. This was the first chance for Chuck Hayes and Will Barton to play against their former teams. Hayes scores 4 points and grabbed 4 rebounds in his 16 minutes of burn. Will Barton only played two situational minutes, yet scored 3 points on a shot from behind the arc.

The tempo was at a slower pace to begin the contest and the star bigs for both teams made an impact early. Demarcus Cousins and LaMarcus Aldridge had 6 and 5 rebounds for their teams, respectively, in the first 12 minutes of action. Yet the tempo changed quickly after the post threats were subbed out for their first rests. Cousins and Aldridge were on pace for huge games and likely would have kept their battle going had another one not started. Without having their bigs to defer to, Isaiah Thomas and Damian Lillard took control offensively for their teams. Lillard took 8 shots in the second quarter alone, while Thomas took 7. The latter half of the second quarter and most of the third became a high-paced shootout among all 4 backcourt players that gave the fans their money's worth. The Blazers were up by 6 at halftime, yet Marcus Thornton caught fire in the third and helped lead the Kings rally heading into the 4th.

Sacramento took a 6 point advantage at one point late in the fourth and looked to be in control, yet almost gave it away late. An Isaiah Thomas turnover led to a Lillard steal and 3pt basket, which was promptly followed by a poor inbounds pass from Demarcus Cousins which was stolen again. After the quick 5 points from the Blazers, the Kings again failed to execute and Isaiah had to force a difficult jumper. After the rebound of the Isaiah Thomas missed pull-up, the Blazers decided to let it play out rather than take a timeout. The Kings were unable to substitute offense for defense, and so faced the final possession without their best perimeter defenders Evans and Butler on the floor. Despite the quantity of shots he had already taken Lillard seemed unphased and looked for the game-winner personally. It took some outstanding help defense from veteran John Salmons to force the miss and avoid a painful meltdown.

Thomas and Lillard both got their numbers, but on poor shooting performances. Thomas shot 43% from the field and 11% (1/9) from 3PT. Lillard only shot 33% from the field and 18% (2/11) from 3PT. Lillard also neared a triple-double with 8 rebounds and 10 assists, compared to Thomas' 4 rebounds and 6 dimes.

"Damian's gonna be a star in this league. Every time I was matched up with him, he had that competitive fire in his eyes. It was a lot of fun competing with him all night. We kinda went at each other and made it a 1-on-1, just look at our shooting percentages (laughing)." - Kings Guard Isaiah Thomas on playing against Blazers G Damian Lillard

"We're a young team, and that's what we have veterans for. John knew the situation, kept his teammates engaged and alert, and then came over to help Marcus when he got caught on the switch." - Kings Coach Randall Tiner on the final defensive possession



Portland Trailblazers Top Performers
Damian Lillard: 19 PTS - 8 REB - 10 AST - 7/21 FG - 2/11 3PT FG
Nicolas Batum: 16 PTS - 4 REB
LaMarcus Aldridge: 15 PTS - 11 REB
Eric Maynor: 14 PTS - 6 AST

Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Demarcus Cousins: 25 PTS - 10 REB - 5 AST - 5 OFF REB
Isaiah Thomas: 20 PTS - 4 REB - 6 AST - 9/21 FG - 1/9 3PT FG
Marcus Thornton: 19 PTS - 3/5 3PT FG
Tyreke Evans: 15 PTS - 4 REB - 3 AST

The Trailblazers played without their starting shooting guard Wesley Matthews, who remained in Portland to rest and finish rehab on a bruised hip. He is expected to be avaliable for the Blazers' next contest against the Rockets in Portland.
The Kings are expecting to regain former Blazer Joel Freeland sometime this week, who had missed the past 2 weeks with a Strained Achillies. Freeland has not played for the Kings this season.

Up next:
SAC (3-5) vs. ATL (3-3)
POR (3-5) vs. HOU (2-5)

NBA Transactions:
Bulls sign G/F Maurice Evans to 1yr/$866K deal.
Trailblazers extend G Eric Maynor with 4yr/$10.25M deal.
Mavericks extend G Daren Collison with 5yr/$30.4M deal.

NBA Injury Updates:
Sixers G Jrue Holiday out 1-2 weeks with Sore Back.

[Mark.]

Nice win vs the Blazers. Yeah I am really enjoying the recaps, the little ones a just the right amount of info

[Vespasian92]

Three Kings are let-down in a loss to Atlanta

The Kings' relative struggles at home early on in the season continued when Atlanta came to town with a lot of confidence. With all their pieces healthy and their chemistry high, the Hawks played an efficient game offensively and came away with the win 117-114. Jeff Teague powered the smooth-running Atlanta offense with a career-best 15 assists. The Kings had a decent game on the glass and grabbed 12 offense rebounds, yet inconsistency on defensive end let their hard work go for nothing. Yet there were three kings who had season-high performances. Tyreke Evans contributed in all aspects of the game, and finished with season-highs in rebounds and steals. Jimmy Butler helped the Kings' rebounding efforts with a season-best 8 boards. Cole Aldrich earned 17 minutes of burn with a career-best 12 points and grabbed 5 rebounds. Aside from these performances and so-so games from Thomas and Cousins, Sacramento got little help from any other players tonight.
Hawks (5-3): 119
Kings (3-6): 104

Atlanta Hawks Top Performers
Lou Williams: 22 PTS - 4/7 3PT FG
Al Horford: 15 PTS - 11 REB
Josh Smith: 14 PTS - 6 REB - 4 AST
Jeff Teague: 12 PTS - 15 AST (Career-High)


Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Tyreke Evans: 21 PTS - 7 REB (Season-High) - 5 AST - 4 STL (Season-High)
Isaiah Thomas: 15 PTS - 6 AST
Demarcus Cousins: 14 PTS - 11 REB
Jimmy Butler: 12 PTS - 8 REB (Season-High)
Cole Aldrich: 12 PTS (Career-High) - 5 REB - 17 MIN

Cousins crashes through Brooklyn
In a season when the pressure on Demarcus Cousins is building rapidly, the 3rd year bigman responsed with his first dominating game of the year. At home against the Nets, Demarcus had a hard battle with Brook Lopez, and came away with a 24-15 perfomance, including 5 offensive rebounds. Sacramento had a total of 15 boards from the offensive glass, including another 4 from Jimmy Butler. Tyreke Evans struggled with his shot in this game (4/12) but still contibuted to the win with his season-best 11 assists.
Lopez answered Cousins with 18 points, 9 rebounds, and 4 blocks of his own, yet poor 3PT shooting and 21 Net turnovers didn't help Lopez's contributions or Brooklyn's chances.
Nets (3-6): 83
Kings (4-6): 98

Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Demarcus Cousins: 24 PTS - 15 REB - 5 OFF REB
Isaiah Thomas: 13 PTS - 5 REB - 6 AST - 5 TO
Tyreke Evans: 12 PTS - 6 REB - 11 AST (Season-High) - 3 STL


Brooklyn Nets Top Performers
Brook Lopez: 18 PTS - 9 REB - 4 BLK
Kris Humphries: 15 PTS - 12 REB
Joe Johnson: 11 PTS - 5 REB - 6 AST
Gerald Wallace: 10 PTS - 7 REB - 3 STL

Rivalry game turns into a classic thriller

Lakers F Antawn Jamison is called for the clear path foul on Kings G Tyreke Evans


The atmosphere in the arena felt more like 2002 than 2013. The intensity of the players matched the conference finals battles these teams had previously engaged in instead of a regular season game in a bottom-dweller's building. The gritty post battles between Cousins and Howard tonight was reminiscent of Vlade and Shaq's paint wars. Evans looked to match Kobe's glare the same way Christie used to. This was a show for the ages.

From the outset both teams were aggressive and went at each other, mainly through the 2 and 5 matchups. Dwight banged against Demarcus early and came away with 8 first quarter points. Kobe was called for a quick foul on the first Kings possession on a reach-in when guarding Tyreke Evans. He got whistled for another 4 possessions later when defending the lane against Evans' drive. The Lakers obviously wanted Kobe's offense on the court and kept him in the game despite possible foul risks. Kobe dropped 7 in that first quarter that saw the teams fight to a 25-25 draw.

Kobe played the entire second quarter despite collected his third and fourth fouls before halftime. With this foul situation clearly in their favor, the Kings adjusted their gameplan and made exploiting it a focus whenever Kobe was on the floor. Sacramento frequently isolated Tyreke and even put Butler at the 2 and posted up on Kobe. These easier buckets against Kobe's hesitant defence helped Sacramento make up for the offensive struggles Howard was forcing upon Demarcus Cousins. The bigman from Kentucky shot just 2-11 in the second quarter for the Kings. The intensity remained high and the rotations for both teams were very tight in the first 24 minutes.

The Lakers came out of the half focused and opened the third quarter with a 14-3 run, putting the Kings in a big hole and taking the Sacramento fans out of the game. It would likely have turned to a rout then and there had Kobe not commited his 5th personal foul midway through the third. Once again Evans put Bryant in a difficult situation by aggresively attacking the basket in transition, and Mike D'Antoni then sat his superstar until the 4th quarter. The Lakers' lead remained steady around 10 throught the rest of the third quarter with Kobe on the bench, thanks to quality facilitation from Steve Nash.

The Kings rallied early in the fourth thanks to Isaiah Thomas' efforts to give Demarcus some easy attempts. 3 of Thomas' 5 assists went directly to Cousins, and many more passes resulted in fouls and free throws. One of these fouls was the disappointing 6th on Bryant as he came to double on Demarcus. Evans and Thomas continued to attack the paint, getting layups, free throws, or kick-out passes. The Lakers turned to Nash's passing to carry their offense and hold off the Kings' rally. The 38-year-old point guard ended up playing the entire second half, and nearly contributed a triple-double for the Lakers. The lead was swapped back and forth down the stretch, and the game remained completely up for grabs.

With the Lakers trailing by just one with less than 30 seconds left, a fatigued Steve Nash was doubled by Evans and forced into a turnover. To extend the game, Antawn Jamison went to foul a sprinting Tyreke Evans as the Kings guard took the ball the other way. In a close call, the officials ruled it a clear path foul. Evans made both of his FTs, then safely inbounded to Isaiah Thomas for two more freebies, essentially slamming the door on the Lakers. The Sacramento fans certainly got their money's worth in this game, seeing the starters for both teams expend so much energy putting on a competitve perfomance.

"Whoever says this rivalry is dead wasn't here tonight. I could not believe the energy that our fans gave our guys tonight. I could see Tyreke and Isaiah feeding off of it during our big run in the 4th." - Kings Coach Randall Tiner

"Ever since I've been here the fans have done nothing but support me and our team loyally. The support has been even more incredible this season since the sale if that's possible. I had a lot of fun trying to get them going when we were trying to make the comeback." - Kings G Isaiah Thomas

"I just wanted to be aggressive from the start, and then coach wanted me to keep at it once he (Kobe) picked up the first two. We were probably fortunate the way a few of the whistles went our way against Kobe. The outcome would probably have been different had he been able to play more than 20 minutes." - Kings G Tyreke Evans

Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Tyreke Evans: 30 PTS - 4 REB - 4 STL - 5 TO - 10/15 FT
Isaiah Thomas: 22 PTS - 4 REB - 5 AST - 4 STL - 10/10 FT - 44 MIN
Demarcus Cousins: 16 PTS - 13 REB - 40 MIN
Jimmy Butler: 14 PTS - 6 REB
Marcus Thornton: 12 PTS


L.A. Lakers Top Performers
Antawn Jamison: 22 PTS - 5 REB - 4/4 3PT FG
Dwight Howard: 20 PTS - 9 REB
Metta World Peace: 13 PTS - 4 REB - 5 AST - 3 STL
Kobe Bryant: 13 PTS - 5 AST - 3 STL - 19 MIN - 6 FLS
Steve Nash: 13 PTS - 8 REB - 11 AST - 2 BLK - 40 MIN
Pau Gasol: 10 PTS - 6 REB


Forgotten in the excitement and the drama of the outcome, Pau Gasol reached a personal milestone with his 15,000 carreer point.
The Kings are set to begin a home and home with the Jazz on Friday, while the Lakers will continue their 3-game roadtrip in Memphis and Dallas.

(I have to say that this was the most fun game I've ever gotten to play in 2k13. I actually wish I had been recording it. Every single player on the court at the end had the gatorade logo too, which was funny )

NBA Transactions:
Hawks extend F Josh Smith with 5yr/$53.28M deal.
Hawks extend G Devin Harris with 5yr/$27.26M deal.
Bobcats extend G Gerald Henderson 4yr/$17.34M deal.

NBA Injury Updates:
Bucks F Gustavo Ayon out 2-4 weeks with Strained Achillies.
Sixers G Nick Young out out 4-6 weeks with Broken Hand.

NBA Notes:
Heat extend winning streak to 10 games, now 11-1 overall.
Mavericks G Mike James plans to retire after this season.
Knicks C Marcus Camby plans to retire after this season.

[Vespasian92]

Kings drop road game in set against Jazz
With their long stretch of home games winding down, the Kings looked to keep their recent momentum as they headed to Utah to begin a home and home with the Jazz. The Kings struggled as soon as their starters were off the floor, as evidenced by Utah's 13 point scoring advantage in the second quarter. Aside from Thornton's 17, the Kings only got 12 points from other reserves, which was not enough against Utah's balanced scoring. The Jazz had six players score in double figures, let by Jefferson's 23.
Jazz (7-6): 109
Kings (5-7): 106

Utah Jazz Top Performers
Al Jefferson: 23 PTS - 9 REB - 2 BLK
Mo Williams: 18 PTS - 4 REB - 4 AST
Randy Foye: 15 PTS - 10 AST
Alec Burks: 12 PTS - 2 STL
Derrick Favors: 12 PTS - 4 REB
Paul Millsap: 11 PTS - 7 REB


Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Demarcus Cousins: 19 PTS - 10 REB
Isaiah Thomas: 26 PTS - 6 REB - 6 AST - 11/26 FG
Tyreke Evans: 18 PTS - 4 REB - 10 AST - 3 STL - 6 TO
Marcus Thornton: 17 PTS - 7/13 FG

Cousins tossed in second straight loss to Jazz
Everyone knew it was too good to be true. The productive and focused Demarcus Cousins show that had been on display had to drop the curtain eventually. With his first negative incident of the year, Demarcus Cousins was ejected from the Kings' home loss to the Utah Jazz following an altercation with Jazz bigman Al Jefferson in the third quarter. The game had been close up to that point, with Sacramento only down by 6 at the time. Cousins took offense to a foul called on Jefferson and initiated a physical confrontation. Jefferson was assessed a flagrant 1, while Cousins was ejected.

After Cousins' early exit, Utah dominated the interior and took firm control of the game quickly. Millsap and Kanter comprised the frontcourt duo that took advantage of the Kings' interior defense. They combined for 20 in the third and fourth quarters. Outscoring Sacramento by 16 after that point, the Jazz walked away with a 103-82 victory and swept the home and home series with the Kings.
Jazz (8-6): 105
Kings (5-8): 83

Utah Jazz Top Performers
Enes Kanter: 17 PTS (Season-High) - 3 REB
Mo Williams: 16 PTS - 8 REB - 8 AST - 3 STL
Paul Millsap: 15 PTS - 11 REB
Al Jefferson: 10 PTS - 6 REB


Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Isaiah Thomas: 16 PTS - 4 REB - 4 AST
Tyreke Evans: 14 PTS - 5 REB - 4 AST - 2 STL
Patrick Patterson: 12 PTS - 8 REB - 2 BLK
Demarcus Cousins: 7 PTS - 7 REB - 24 MIN (Ejected in 3rd)

Demarcus Cousins suspended 2 games

The League Office announced today that Sacramento Kings C Demarcus Cousins has been suspended 2 games by the NBA following his confrontation with Jazz C Al Jefferson. He will miss the Kings' Tuesday game vs. the Minnesota Timberwolves and Friday game vs. the Indiana Pacers. Cousins entered into a physical conflict with Jefferson after the Jazz bigman was called for a flagrant 1 foul. The confrontation occured Saturday in Utah's victory over the Sacramento Kings.

Without Cousins, Kings lose on the glass
With Demarcus Cousins serving the first of his two suspension games, the Kings were at home as the Timberwolves came to town. Facing the frontline of Love and Pekovic, Jason Thompson got the start at Center and did a solid job taking some of the rebounding slack and Patterson the offensive slack for the Kings, yet it wasn't enough. Minnesota used 8 offensive rebounds from Pekovic and strong double-doubles from both of their bigs to claim the road victory. Brandon Roy contributed 29 points of his own on 28 shots for the Wolves. Playing in his first game for Sacramento, Joel Freeland contribued a strong 7 points, 5 rebounds, and 1 block in 15 minutes. The Kings will close out November at home against the Pacers, which Cousins will again sit out.
Timberwolves (9-4): 105
Kings (5-9): 97

Minnesota Timberwolves Top Performers
Brandon Roy: 29 PTS - 5 AST - 12/28 FG - 3/11 3PT FG
Nikola Pekovic: 22 PTS - 13 REB - 8 OFF REB
Kevin Love: 14 PTS - 13 REB
Alec Burks: 11 PTS - 4 REB - 9 AST


Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Marcus Thornton: 19 PTS - 5 REB - 3 AST - 7/10 FG
Tyreke Evans: 19 PTS - 3 REB - 4 AST - 2 BLK
Patrick Patterson: 16 PTS - 4 REB
Jason Thompson: 11 PTS - 8 REB
Isaiah Thomas: 10 PTS - 3 REB - 4 AST - 2 STL

Kings continue to slip, lose 4th straight
The Kings looked to close out the month of November on a positive before they begin a road-heavy December schedule. The Pacers came to Sacramento for the second and last time they would meet. Isaiah Thomas was aggressive to begin the contest, and dropped 12 of Sacramento's 35 first quarter points. Yet it was all Indiana after that. The Kings lacked any other consistent help, and even Isaiah cooled off and only scored 4 more the entire game. Indiana showed their defensive prowess and held Sacramento to 34% shooting for the game. The Pacers outscored Sacramento 91-48 in the final three quarters and completed a rout of the struggling Kings.
Pacers (12-4): 120
Kings (5-10): 79

Indiana Pacers Top Performers
Danny Granger: 31 PTS - 5 REB
David West: 19 PTS - 13 REB
Paul George: 14 PTS - 7 AST
D.J. Augustin: 13 PTS - 15 AST (Career-High)


Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Isaiah Thomas: 16 PTS - 5 REB - 3 AST
Tyreke Evans: 12 PTS - 6 REB - 4 AST - 2 STL - 3/19 FG
Jimmy Butler: 11 PTS - 5 REB - 4 AST
Patrick Patterson: 9 PTS - 5 REB - 3/15 FG

[Woogie98]

Love the presentation!!! Stay positive....the season's Gunna turn around for the positive

[Vespasian92]

November Summary

Eastern powerhouses rolling, West looks shaky

After the first month of the NBA season has passed, the Heat, Bulls, Hawks, and Pacers are carrying a lot of momentum. All have reached a winning streak of at least 6 games, and the Heat and Hawks both have 10+ game streaks still active. Lebron's scoring for Miami has dipped so far this season (22.8 PPG, down from 27.1 last season), yet the Heat continue to roll and once again are the probable favorites for the title. The Bulls have a healthy Derrick Rose and a vintage season from Rip Hamilton (16.6 PPG, 4.1 RPG, 3.5 APG) helping them chase Miami. Atlanta is using strong scoring and rebounding numbers from Lou Williams (22.6 PPG) and Al Horoford (11.0 RPG) to try and improve upon their recently disappointing playoff history. The Pacers have handed the keys to Paul George, and he, along with interior dominance from West and Hibbert, is producing (20.0 PPG, 5.9 REB, 1.9 AST, 1.9 STL).

So far the Western Conference is still up for grabs, without a clear favorite distancing themselves in the early standings. There are a few suprising teams with a strong start to their seasons (MIN, GS, UTA, POR), while other quality teams are stumbling out of the gate (LAC, HOU, SA). Only time will determine who will come out of the group looking consistent.

For the latest Kings
news, blogs, interviews,
and highlights. Kings Month in Review



For Kings' fans and front office, the most disturbing stats are obvious: a general lack of production from the bench. Patterson has also slumped to begin the season, only producing 5.5 and 5.5 on an abysmal 35% shooting. Jason Thompson's per36 stats are better than Patrick's in almost every category, yet Kings' staff are hesitant to make a swap and remove one of the few productive reserves from the second unit. The bench in general has been very poor across the board, including sub-40% shooting from Douglas and Salmons. Aside from Thornton, those are probably the two players who the Kings need to have score for the second unit. Speaking of Thornton, his percentages are strong, especially from downtown. He had multiple 20+ scoring games and is the by far the most productive scorer off the pine, despite the fact his PPG numbers seem low. Will Barton and Joel Freeland, once the afterthoughts on the roster, may find themselves with larger roles soon if their current production can continue in a larger sample size.


"I'm a little disappointed with our struggles at the end of the month. We had a lot of home games, and it was a stretch we could have used to build some momentum and confidence yet we still didn't reach .500 during our homestands (4-6). We're a young team, and the real tests of a developing squad are coming up when we are on the road for the majority of our contests." - Kings Coach Randall Tiner

NBA Injury Updates:
Knicks F Carmelo Anthony out 2-4 weeks with Separated Shoulder.
Nuggets G/F Andre Igoudala out 2-4 weeks with Sprained Knee.

NBA Notes:
Heat extend winning streak to 12 games, now 13-1 overall.
Hawks extend winning streak to 10 games, now 11-3 overall.
Bulls extend winning streak to 7 games, now 12-2 overall.
Pablo Prigioni plans to retire after this season.

[Vespasian92]

For the latest Kings
news, blogs, interviews,
and highlights.

Who's our designated driver?
It's no mystery that contending teams need an undisputed leader. The player with the numbers, mentality, and track record of success to handle the spotlight of being a franchise's face. The guy with the keys who's driving the team to the promised land. There's a difference between being a star and being the leader. Miami has 3 stars, yet Lebron is the leader and the others have accepted a secondary role. In 2011 Dallas was led by Dirk, and the other stars played to their own strengths behind him. San Antonio has 3 big names, and yet they've always had a leader, even if that leader changed over time. Cleveland isn't a playoff team (yet), but at least with Kyrie have their undisputed leader and star. Aldridge, Curry, and Wall are other examples of players who have earned the respect of other quality teammates and become the unquestioned faces of their teams.

Our Kings have all three of those things, yet they are in different players. Cousins has the numbers, Isaiah has the mentality, and Tyreke has the track record. A multi-talented bigman who can average 20-10 could do it, if not for the lack of intangibles and how frequently he is taken out of games by his own emotions. An undersized guard with the heart of a lion lends itself to having the leadership mindset, yet being questioned about a lack of assist numbers and defensive capabilities won't help the statistical requirements. A former ROY in such company as MJ, Lebron, and the big O with a 20-5-5 rookie season has the best record of success on the roster, yet fails to show the killer instinct or mentality to call out his teammates like a leader would. Can they exist together anyways? It is known that Demarcus and Tyreke don't like playing with each other, at least not right now.

So the questions that face the Kings' front office are many. Who do you build around? Cousins, Thomas, or Evans? Will Demarcus improve his attitude and intangibles, Isaiah increase his statistical numbers and create a record of success, or Tyreke develop a leader's mindset? Maybe more accurately, which will occur first? Who can be trusted with the keys to this team, despite how impaired they may be by their various weaknesses?

[Mark.]

Nice article. Team is struggling but I am liking the performances from the players.

How did you incorporate the ejection? Just saw him for the rest of the game?

[Vespasian92]

Clippers push Kings' skid to 5 games
After a disappointing 4-game losing streak to end November, Sacramento began a road-heavy December schedule in L.A. to face the Clippers. Demarcus Cousins returned to the lineup for the Kings for his first game after serving his two-game suspension. Despite 10 boards each from Cousins and Patterson, the Kings were dominated on the glass and in the paint. In a rather anti-climactic game, the lack of effort on the interior sent the Kings packing early in a 90-112 loss. Blake Griffin posted an efficient 29 points and 12 rebounds on 14-19 shooting. Chauncey Billups added a 10-assist double-double of his own.
Clippers (5-11): 112
Kings (5-11): 90

L.A. Clippers Top Performers
Blake Griffin: 29 PTS - 12 REB - 2 BLK - 14/19 FG
Chris Paul: 22 PTS - 7 REB - 8 AST
Caron Butler: 18 PTS - 7 REB
Chauncey Billups: 14 PTS - 10 AST
Deandre Jordan: 5 PTS - 10 REB - 5 BLK


Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Isaiah Thomas: 22 PTS - 7/11 FG
Demarcus Cousins: 17 PTS - 10 REB
Jimmy Butler: 14 PTS - 5 REB
Tyreke Evans: 8 PTS - 2 REB - 4 AST - 3 STL - 3/12 FG
Patrick Patterson: 5 PTS - 10 REB

Kings stop bleeding behind Cousins, Evans
Sacramento ended their 5 game skid when they returned home for the first of a two-game homestand. With the shorthanded Raptors in town (Andrea Bargnani sat out with a strained calf), the Kings looked focused on ending their losing streak from the tip. With the possible exception of Valanciunas, Toronto had no one who could stop Demarcus Cousins inside, who achieved his second consecutive double-double after serving his 2-game suspension. Sacramento won the rebounding, second chance, and fast break stats, putting up a solid all-around effort. Tyreke Evans also had a strong performance with 29 points and the usual extras. Isaiah Thomas sat back and played the role of facilitator instead of taking over offensively, picking up 8 assists. The Kings complete their quick stop at home Friday against the Magic before embarking on a 4-game roadtrip.
Kings (6-11): 104
Raptors (7-12): 89


Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Tyreke Evans: 29 PTS - 3 REB - 6 AST - 2 BLK
Demarcus Cousins: 28 PTS - 11 REB - 12/16 FG
Isaiah Thomas: 14 PTS - 8 AST
Patrick Patterson: 12 PTS - 4 REB - 2 STL


Toronto Raptors Top Performers
Rudy Gay: 23 PTS - 7 REB
Alan Anderson: 14 PTS - 7/10 FG
Jonas Valanciunas: 14 PTS - 6 REB
Kyle Lowry: 12 PTS - 13 AST - 5/15 FG - 0/6 3PT FG
Demar Derozan: 8 PTS - 7 REB - 3/12 FG

Tyreke sniffs triple-double as Kings backcourt stars
The Kings enjoyed their quick homestand before embarking on a challenging 4-game trip against solid teams (POR, DAL, MIL, OKC). The Magic brought a suprisingly strong 11-7 record to Sacramento during a lengthy road-trip of their own. The contest was a run-and-gun affair with plenty of scoring from both clubs. For the Kings, Isaiah Thomas' usual passion and leadership showed among the rest of his team and especially from his backcourt partner Tyreke Evans. Attacking the paint frequently, Evans drew fouls and the help defense. It seemed Isaiah and Tyreke switched roles tonight, with Tyreke accumulated a season-best 12 assists tonight. Thomas recieved many of these, who tied a career-best 5 makes from 3PT territory and dropped 30 points for the game.
The Kings ended the game on a 14-5 run, and it seemed fatigue set in for the Magic starters. No bench player for Orlando played more than 12 minutes in this game, while Afflalo and Nelson played 42 and 40 minutes, respectively.
Kings (7-11): 121
Magic (11-8): 116

Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Isaiah Thomas: 30 PTS (Career-High) - 5 AST - 5/9 3PT FG (Career-High)
Tyreke Evans: 22 PTS - 8 REB (Season-High) - 12 AST (Season-High) - 9/13 FG - 3/8 FT
Demarcus Cousins: 16 PTS - 11 REB - 3 STL - 4 OFF REB
Marcus Thornton: 14 PTS


Orlando Magic Top Performers
Aaron Afflalo: 33 PTS (Career-High) - 9 AST (Career-High) - 12/21 FG
Glen Davis: 22 PTS - 8 REB - 4 AST
Tobias Harris: 15 PTS - 7 REB - 7 AST
Nikola Vucevic: 11 PTS - 11 REB - 5 OFF REB
Jameer Nelson: 10 PTS - 10 AST - 4 STL (Season-High)

Blazers get payback, rout Kings
Blazers F Nicolas Batum beats Kings G Marcus Thornton on the break


The Kings began their 4-game roadtrip in Portland's Rose Garden on Saturday to face the Trailblazers. The Blazers were hoping for revenge for a tough 104-103 loss in Sacramento last month. The first quarter was evenly matched, and the teams fought to a 22-22 tie. Yet in the second and third quarters, Portland keyed-in defensively on Tyreke Evans. It resulted in a frustrating evening for the Kings' guard, who shot a poor 4/13 from the field and had 6 turnovers. Isaiah Thomas tried to pick up the slack offensively for Evans, and scored 21 of his 24 points after halftime. Demarcus Cousins added a season-best 6 assists to a typical 19-10 double-double, yet Evans' turnovers and poor shooting sunk his team in the end. The lack of prodcution off the Sacramento bench also showed tonight. The Kings only got 21 points from their bench, and only 5 from any reserves not named Marcus Thornton.
Portland took advantage of Sacramento's struggles by using a complete team effort on defense and on the glass to get the win. 5 players for the Blazers had 7 or more rebounds in the game, led by Hickson's 9. The Blazers have quietly put together a 6-game winning streak, and have their next 5 contests at the Rose Garden as they look for more.

Portland Trailblazers Top Performers
Wesley Matthews: 30 PTS - 8 REB - 4/6 3PT FG
Damian Lillard: 24 PTS - 7 REB - 6 AST
Lamarcus Aldridge: 13 PTS - 8 REB
J.J. Hickson: 5 PTS - 9 REB - 4 OFF REB
Nicolas Batum: 19 PTS - 7 REB - 6 AST


Sacramento Kings Top Performers
Isaiah Thomas: 24 PTS (Career-High) - 3 REB - 4 AST
Demarcus Cousins: 19 PTS - 10 REB - 6 AST (Season-High)
Jimmy Butler: 17 PTS - 4 REB - 3 AST - 3/3 3PT FG
Marcus Thornton: 16 PTS
Tyreke Evans: 9 PTS - 6 REB - 5 AST - 6 TO - 4/12 FG


"There's nothing else I can say. I didn't bring it tonight and I let my teammates down. We all have to focus and contribute every night, otherwise we're never going to be a playoff team." - Kings G Tyreke Evans

Next Up:
SAC (7-12) @ DAL (13-7)
POR (12-8) vs. TOR (8-12)

NBA Transactions:

Bulls trade disgruntled Belinelli to Cleveland
After falling out of the rotation with the Bulls due to Richard Hamilton's strong season, Marco Belinelli was shipped to the Cavaliers in exchange for C.J. Miles. The Bulls also included next year's 2nd round draft selection in the deal. Cleveland gains a spot-up perimeter threat to space the floor for Kyrie Irving, while the Bulls recieve a versatile scorer in return to bolster their bench.

Chicago Bulls Trade: G Marco Belinelli, 2014 2nd round draft pick
Cleveland Cavaliers Trade: G/F C.J. Miles

NBA Injury Updates:
Nuggets F Kenneth Faried out 1-2 weeks with Sore Back.
Bobcats G Kemba Walker out 2-4 weeks with Strained Achillies.
Sixers C Spencer Hawes out 6-8 weeks with Torn Meniscus.